


Uncharted Territory

by LaceyLance



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Child violence, Fluff, M/M, Mage AU, Magic-Users, Multi, New World, Violence, Voltron BB, just pinches of angst here and there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 18:24:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11765736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaceyLance/pseuds/LaceyLance
Summary: With the war between the Galran and Altean empires worsening, it seems like the only way to bring the Galra to thei downfall is for Princess Allura to assemble a new team of five Mages. Sending them one of the most dangerous missions ever planned; infiltrate the enemy empire. The team must learn to overcome their differences and accept the damages of the past to keep them moving forward.





	Uncharted Territory

**Author's Note:**

> Well Helloooo! If you've been wondering where Ive been for the last couple months it's working on this [Voltron Big Bang](http://voltronbang.tumblr.com/) with my amazing artist [RedxYami](http://redxyami.tumblr.com/). It was super fun to write and I love magic so this was really exciting. I hope you all enjoy the first chapter of this au because it's definitely not done yet.

[Character Designs!](http://redxyami.tumblr.com/post/164031230908/designs-of-all-the-paladins-for-laceylance-fic)

From the moment Lance had learned to speak, he had been taught that Necromages were monsters. That they didn't have souls and preyed upon the living to make their legions of the undead. Mages who threw aside the most sacred rules of magic for their own selfish needs and unforgiving ways.

To see someone other than a Galra with a dark purple flask was unthought of in the Altean Empire. There were plenty of greens, blues, yellows, whites, and, though rare, pinks. A purple though, was something only thought to be seen by those who had experienced Galra invasion or battle first hand. A horror no one wished to see in their lifetime.

This was, until he had heard of Takashi Shirogane, and how he’d been one of the first to make it into the Court of Stars. Takashi, or Shiro as everyone called him, was an enigma in the court. Training separately with Coran, the princess herself, and his friend Keith, who had entered at the same time as him. Everyone was curious about the supposedly kind, handsome Necromage who was on their side during the harsh realities of the Galra- Altean war.

The mere presence of him had caused an uproar though. Before even having a chance of entering The Court had been in chaos. The mere thought of a Necromage entering the ranks of Mages under the rule of Princess Allura was unthinkable. The princess though had thought otherwise. She had stepped in promising to train him personally for a mission unlike any other they had done before.

Lance never thought he was ever going to meet him either. He was training for the special task forces alongside his team, who included Pidge, a Biomage, and Hunk, a Geomage. They had made large strides in making their way to the top, to be involved in a mission that could turn the tides in the war. Being on the Voltron squadron was something he was working for.

It wasn't until they had found out they would be on the Voltron squadron that they were told Keith and Shiro would be joining them too. Pidge had been ecstatic, Necromages were the only other mages that customized their own flasks. Yet Lance couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he'd gotten. Hunk had agreed, but he was more open to the concept. While Geomages were stubborn they were also open to the changes around them. Lance had listened to the both, but couldn't help but be a bit nervous.

And now he was here, face to face with Takashi Shirogane and Keith Kogane themselves. Staring at Shiro’s hand, mouth agape, and wordless like an idiot. Luckily he was knocked out his stupor by the rude voice beside him.

So this was Keith, the constantly disgruntled Pyromage he’d heard so much about. Some good, some bad, but never a really clear opinion. From what he was sensing he could already tell he wasn't too fond of Keith.. Unfortunately.

“Are you going to stare at his hand like a baboon all day, or are you going to shake it.” Keith glared at him intently. He hated when people just looked at Shiro, it was rude and offensive. Usually people would give dirty looks and rude gestures as well and Keith was well aware of it now.

Lance huffed, “Maybe you should shut up,hot head,” he murmured under his breath and shook Shiro's hand. “It’s, um, nice to meet you Shiro.” he bit his lip as he watched Keith simmer at the comment. It was funny to get a little bit of a reaction out of him instead of the same brooding look.

Shiro smiled “Nice to meet you too, Lance. And you must be Hunk and Pidge.” He looked them over noticing Hunks golden flask covered in stones and small gems. He looked at Pidge’s next noticing how finely places the metals were over the small fern leaves. He’d never seen other peoples flasks before and he was curious.

Pidge smiled and held out her hand, “Nice to finally meet you, I've been wanting to ask you some questions.” She looked at his flask resting along his hip inquisitively. It was a deep purple with a skull along the stem. Behind that were black leaves and blue feathers along the cork.

Shiro smiled, “I'd be happy to answer any of them.” His smile perked up happily. “I've never had anyone curious about my flask before,” he hummed.

Pidge rose an eyebrow, “Never? I mean it’s interesting. You customize your own flask like a Hydromage. It’s not something common. I can't understand why.” While most mages has a basic design mechanic for their flasks, Necromages and Hydromages had flasks that never looked alike. Every aspect was completely unique to every mage.

Shiro scoffed,“It seems like it’s just because they're too afraid I’ll do something to them… Which I won't!” he seemed a bit flustered, “I've only used them with my training with Coran.” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Being the center of so much positive attention had Shiro flustered. He hadn’t had someone ask him positive questions about himself in a while and it was pretty nice.

Pidge shrugged,“They're just being biased assholes. I've tried to point out my hypothesis to them but they don't even turn an eye. It’s rigged, Shiro.” They both knew The Court had a problem with Shiro. It was no secret to any of the mages training at the center. Especially with it so close to the castle and Princess Allura.

Shiro laughed a bit, “I can fully agree with that.” before he turned to Keith who had his arms crossed. Shiro has to admit to himself though that he was a bit worried about Keith. He wasn't exactly… Friendly when meeting new mages other than those appointed to train them. He’d grown so used to people being judgemental and rude that he wasn't too approachable.

“Keith, you should get to know Lance and Hunk while Pidge does her experiments.” He rose an eyebrow. He was hoping by spending time with Hunk and Lance maybe things would calm down a bit between them. He wasn't too hopeful because he knew Keith was extremely stubborn, but he could hope.

He knew Keith would be a bit intimidating when first met by other people, but he needed to get to know them before they started training. It was important for him to learn that Shiro wasn't the only one he could trust mid battle.

Keith looked like he was about to protest, but with a look from Shiro and Coran he nodded,“Yeah, sure.” He looked at Hunk who smiled.

“How about we go out to the garden to pick some food for dinner tonight. We can get to know each other then.” Hunk suggested, moving himself to stand a bit between Lance and Keith knowing that there was naturally already a bit of tension between Pyro and Hydro mages. Especially when they were both extremely headstrong.

Lance nodded, “Sounds nice. What do you think, hot head?” he smirked.

Keith grit his teeth, “Sounds nice!” he followed Hunk outside watching as Hunk gave Lance a huff. He could tell Hunk was a nice guy, it was just Lance he was unsure about. He crossed his arms and trailed behind them silently as Hunk whispered some things to Lance.

“Be nice Lance.”

\--

The first few weeks of becoming a team turned into a mess of figuring out each other's differences. It was found out that even Pidge and Shiro had small quarrels. Most of them were about strategy and timing during battle. Shiro would want to do one thing while Pidge would automatically disagree with him and vice-versa.

It interrupted their training time at the most inopportune moments. They would suddenly start to squabble, only stopping when they realized the others were staring. It would immediately stop due to both their embarrassment.

Being on opposite sides of the life and death spectrum seemed to do that, though nothing was as bad as Lance and Keith. Their fighting had nothing to do with strategy or technique, but with each other. During battle sequences they would contradict each other and become confrontational mid battle, which was unsafe for everyone.

This was hard on everyone on and off the training area. Times became tense when they met up with Coran and their trainers in the morning or when they passed in the halls. Everyone else was fine, but when Lance and Keith were there, it became awkward. Lots of sideways glares and crossed arm before yelling commenced mid training.

Unlike Pidge and Shiro who could overcome their differences, and come to a solid middle ground based on what they both needed. Keith and Lance had a hard time figuring out exactly what was needed. Communicating their needs was not a strong suit between them and it seemed to get worse as the rest of the team progressed. That was until Coran had something to say about it.

Up until that point Coran and the Princess had tried to keep from stepping in. The team should be able to solve these problems no matter how hard and sometimes it would be a matter of life or death. Though it was quite clear this problem was one they couldn't fix on their own. No matter how hard they tried they would need some help.

“Lance! Keith!” Coran yelled from the the side of the training aren't. He walked from behind a clear barrier used for protection from wayward spells. For the first time since they had started training together, they saw a look of complete disappointment on Coran’s face.

Their squabbling stopped immediately and they walked over to Coran, as the rest of the team watched with relief. They'd been trying to handle this for week and the Princess and Coran had refused to step in until now.

Coran watched them, “Until now, I thought you two would be able to work out your differences with the help of your team mates. Even with how hard they’re trying,it seems that you two need a bit more of a push.” He beckoned them to follow while princess started another routine with just Shiro, Pidge and Hunk.

“Hydomages and Pyromages have had a longstanding list of differences, yet you two are the worst I’ve seen. It seems like it’s not just the magic you possess, but the way it has affected your mentality. I’ve been hoping that you two would find a way to overcome these differences by yourself, but It seems like you two need a push in the right direction”

He stopped walking when they reached the library. They entered, then Lance and Keith took a seat as Coran pulled out two books. One stark red and the other a deep blue.

“Lance, Hydromages are headstrong, yet adaptive and you seem to be forgetting the latter. Your head is getting in the way of letting you flow. Hydromages are most described as rivers; noble, flowing, stubborn, and adaptive. You need to be less afraid of letting control drift for member to member. Especially when it comes to Keith.” He could see Lance fiddling with his fingers as he listened. It was hard to head, but he couldn't deny it was true.

“And Keith, when control finds it's way to you, you refuse to let it leave. Demanding it stay and disrupting the flow of your team. You yourself cannot control everybody, it is a team effort. Pyromages are described like wildfires; Unruly, fierce, powerful, and unquenchable. Keith, you need to trust your team and balance control.” Keith was watching Coran as he spoke, but it was hard for him to admit that he was right in this situation.

Both mages watched Coran move about the room then looked at each other, letting out a simultaneous huff. The situation was tense and awkward for both of them knowing Coran was right, but not really wanting to admit it verbally.  
“You two have lots of similarities. Even within the realm of your magic, but it seems you've chosen not to realise them. Tonight I want you two to read these,” he handed the red book to Lance and the blue to Keith, “and when you come back tomorrow, describe what you have read within them and try to do a practice sequence with just the two of you.”He leaned against the bookshelf behind him.

Both looked like they were about to protest, but were silenced by a cold stare from Coran. He was not going to have these two argue in his office. Especially when Keith tended to get too… Heated, and Lance would chill the room.

“You two are free to go to your respective rooms quietly. I will see you in the morning, bright and early.”

Both left abruptly without any more discussion, and scurried off to their rooms unsurely.

\--

The next morning was uncomfortably silent between the two. Lots of half assed glares until finally they spoke.  
“Lance.”

“Keith”

They spoke at the same time yet Lance kept going, Keith silencing himself to listen.

“I um, wanted to call a truce. I'm sorry I didn't trust you in training. I've never really trained with a Pyromage as powerful as you before and I guess it caught me off guard. I'm going to put more effort into trusting you on the training field.” He held out his hand as a sign of peace.

Keith shook it and nodded,“Yeah. I guess, same. Shiro’s the only one I’ve trained with. So um, I’m going to try.” he shook his hand loosely then looked to the training area.

Coran was waiting for them in the training area and eyed them before asking, “Are you two ready for a simulation?” Coran was with a senior Geomage and Biomage ready to begin the training exercise.

They nodded simultaneously, while getting into position seemingly ready for whatever was thrown at them.

The exercise started quickly, bombarding them with hits from rocks and plants. They were still unsteady, back to back just barely blocking the assault.

Only after finally realizing they couldn't do things on their own did they begin to work together. Calling out attacks and where they were coming from, but most importantly listening. This was what Coran had been hoping for and when he saw they finally had their differences squared he stopped the simulation.

“Great job boys! It seems you two can learn from this and take this experience with you from now on. Congratulations.”

Lance looked over at Keith and for the first time saw him smile back.

From that day onward, their connection grew and friendships began to form throughout the group. Lance and Keith became better at communicating with each other, though still had small fights over little things. Shiro and Pidge got better as well,no longer stopping training to fight over differences but instead waiting until after they were finished.

It was a couple months into their training though, that things starting to become unsteady. Shiro had disappeared with Coran and Allura several times and had come back almost cradling his arm. He was usually distant and very unsure of himself after these visits. It had been another one of those days before training and it was affecting Shiro. Every decision made felt unsure and suddenly one of them snapped.  
“Shiro, what the fuck is wrong.” Keith growled stopping the exercise and walking up to him. He stood in front of him puffing his chest, almost demanding attention. Pidge, Lance, and Hunk watched moving closer together so they could break them apart if needed.

“What is wrong.” Keith demanded again, this time voice more stern.

Shiro's eyes widened and he swallowed, “Keith I promi-” He knew Keith was right, but he wasn't sure how to tell him what it was.

“Don't pull that shit Shiro, we can all feel it. We're getting close to figuring out this move and I can tell there's something wrong. You're lost in thought Shiro.” he pressed a finger to his chest then moved back a bit.

He eyed him and Shiro sighed “Look Keith, I-”

“Paladins!”

They heard a voice from the side. There stood Princess Allura, watching them expectantly, “Your presences are needed. Please finish up, and follow me.”

She walked along the hallway leading them to a study near her quarters. Unlike the other Mages of the court the five of them stayed close to the Princess. They needed to be ready if something were to happen or their mission date was moved closer by necessity.

“I would like to talk to you all about one of the Galra you’ll have to look out for on your travels. First though, I would like to remind everyone of their origins. Things are not always as they seem and to think openly. We need to remember we were once all on the same page.” She opened an old leather bound book with silver lining.It was old and looked like it had been in her family forever.

“When the star fell from The Above, the first five mages were born. Drawing curiosity from a nearby village, the five went out to investigate. Each touched the star and created five types of magic; Bio, Geo, Hydro, Pyro, and Aero. After discovering their abilities and perfecting them in secret they returned to the village and used their powers for the good of their people and village.

“Yet soon The Under became jealous, why was Above allowed to give their powers away, but not them. Making the decision on their own, The Under erected a mountain, and inside was a stone that could be used to look into time or control the souls of those past.

“The first to control the stone broke it in two, deciding for the world that having both was too powerful. They chose to use the power over the dead and decided to use those powers for good. Consoling the grieving and helping tortured souls move on to a happier beyond.

“The stone though, was soon found by another, a young woman. She chose to use the stone to look into the future of some and the past of all. To keep the stone hidden, she removed the piece from the mountain and found a secluded hill. With the help of a geo-mage she made a labyrinth of tunnels where the stone was never to be found again. For if this power were to get into the hands of evil she knew the world would be doomed.”

The book as snapped shut with a hollow thud

“That’s where the story ends,” Allura breathed, “After that, we know that Zarkon got ahold of that half of the stone. The other was passed down the line in my family and resides here. This war started because Zarkon found out that my father had this stone. He wanted to combine them once more so Necromages like him and Astromages like my father could be more powerful. When my father refused he was thrown into a fit of rage” She set the book down on the table and looked at them.

“Necromagic is not something that is inherently evil magic. It was made into one, by people who manipulated it's use to control and hold power over others. Like commander Sendak. Lead Necromage in Zarkon’s army and one of the mages you might come in contact with during battle.”

Shiro visibly jolted at the name. He hadn't heard it in such a long time. He didn't think he’d ever hear it again if he was being honest.

“His arm… It can summon spirits even against their own will. He has the power to manipulate and control them in any way he wishes. It can even separate one's soul from it’s body. It’s truly despicable.” She looked over to Shiro then noticed that everyone was doing the same.  

“His arm can really do that?” He choked on his words. He had only known it drew spirits too him, good and bad. He had no idea it was capable of so much evil and it made him sick. To be in control of something like this.

 Shiro’s voice was shaky and unnerving, “I had no idea.” he said, and looked down. Allura had told him it was time to come clean about this. Especially before they all started on this mission. He needed to be honest and clear any suspicions before it caught up with him later and their team fell apart.

“I- his arm… and mine they’re- I was in that experiment. We have the same thing.” He

He slid his purple glove off to reveal his arm. It was black, like the night. Veins trailed along the underside and pulsed repulsively as Shiro flexed. Keith looked away fighting off tears, it was always hard to look at Shiro's arm knowing how it happened. He’d never really gotten the full details, but Shiro had told him the jest of it.

The others looked in disbelief. Shiro had always worn a sleeve on both arms to cover them up. They thought it was due to an accident, but none of them could have expected something like this.

“W-how?” Lance stumbled over what words to use, “How did it happen?” he gulped nervously. Lance couldn't believe what he was looking at right now. It

Keith laid a hand on his shoulder knowing Shiro would need the emotional support.

Shiro took a deep breath, “As a child, I lived near the Altean border. I even knew children from the Galra empire. We didn't know war, it was a simple life. One day I accidentally let loose that I was a Necromage. It was purely by accident. I fell out of a tree and summoned a spirit. I didn't know it, but after that incident I became a target. I still played with the other kids, but the adults were always weary.” He explained scanning their faces for reactions.

“One night I was kidnapped and taken across the border… or I presume. I was strapped down with two others and we- we were experimented on and-” Shiro’s breathing increased and he had to lean against the wall to keep himself steady.

Keith grabbed his hand. “Shiro. I’m here.” Keith looked him in the eyes and he snapped out of the beginning of a flashback

Shiro gripped his hand tightly, as if it grounded him to reality. “Sorry I-,” he cleared his obviously tight throat and looked up to see the others faces twisted in fear and concern. He hated seeing them worry about him and they weren't even on the mission yet.

Allura  tilted her head in the direction of Shiro’s arm.

“Shiro? May I see what happened? I know you’ve given me details before, but actually seeing the process might help with retrieving more information.” She knew doing this would be hard for Shiro, but it would help her be able to know what had happened fully.

Shiro knew what she meant, he also knew it meant he’d have to relive the painful memories as well. He’d have to go through every painful sensation just to help Allura understand. It almost wasn't worth it, but he knew it was necessary for her to help him figure this out.

“Of course, Princess,” he managed  to say, then moved when she beckoned him to sit on a chair while she sat across from him. She was obviously worried as she took his hand. This was going to be taxing on both her and Shiro, but mostly Shiro. It was scary because she really had no idea what emotions would tag along with the experience. From the look in Shiro’s face though she was sure it wasn't anything good.

“I’m ready.” he choked, throat tight and nerves heavy. He really wasn't if he was honest, but he knew this was for the good of himself and his team.

Allura nodded and pressed their heads together, it took a moment before she was able to steady herself. She looked around and smiled when she saw a very young version of Shiro standing with a young Galra boy. They were sitting at the foot of a large tree which Shiro had almost fallen out of if it hadnt been for the purple barrier he’d conjured.

 

“Shiro! You’re a Necromage? How come you never told me?” the young Galra was obviously excited by the fact that his friend was a mage. He’d never met one of those before. Magic was amazing and having a best friend who could control it was fascinating.

“Thaxen, shhh!” Shiro covered his mouth quickly, then looked around cautiously. He couldn't let any of the adults know, not until his mom was here. They might not like him anymore.

“You’re not afraid?” he looked at his friend in surprise. His mom had always told him that people would be afraid of him. He never thought he’d meet someone so excited to see a Necromage.

“Of course not,” he whispered, while moving Shiro’s hand.

“That’s so cool Shiro! You’re special.” It was obvious Thaxen had never met a mage before.

Thaxen helped him to his feet and wiped some of the dirt off his clothing.

Shiro blushed and smiled, “I’m glad. I don't want to lose you as my friend Thaxen.”

He hugged the Galra and the memory faded as they ran off together to continue their game.

The next memory shimmered into view and Allura gasped.

Shiro was chained to a wooden table and around them were walls of potions and magical beings of myth in cages. It was a terrifying sight, dark and dreary, everything nightmares like this were made of. The smell was musty and stale making him crinkle his nose in distaste.

Shiro roused with a groan.

“Where am I?” he breathed softly, unable to lift his head from how much it hurt. He could only look up at the ceiling.

“Where am I?” he whimpered as tears rose to his eyes,threatening to fall. He’d never experienced a place so terrifying. This had to be a nightmare, nothing could ever be so horrible as this in real life.

“Calm yourself, young one.”  A cold voice commanded, as a blurry figure walked closer. A chill ran down his spine as the air grew colder around the figure. She was terrifying, golden yellow eyes and markings just below them that looked like blood rolling down her cheeks.

“N-no! Where am I? I want my mommy.” he sobbed blearily, unable to control his emotions.

“Shh, Shiro. You and Sendak are chosen. You will be the Galra Empire’s greatest weapons.” The woman smiled, sharp teeth and yellow eyes were the last thing he saw before pain ripped through his arm.

Screaming filled the room and calls for help echoed off the walls before a pair of hands shoved a gag into his mouth and silenced him. Then everything went dark. He’d fallen unconscious from the pain.

When he came too, his arm it- it was mangled and pure black. Void of all color and pulsing. He could feel it and he wanted to puke. Instead, he began to cry and looked around enough to see another silhouette.

“Stop crying you disgusting Altean.” he growled standing up to look down at him, mouth turned up in a disgusted sneer. It was clear Shiro’s crying had aggravated to an extreme degree.

“I don't know why Zarkon allowed an Altean like you to be here. Even if you are a powerful necromage. There are plenty more powerful than you.” he kicked his foot into Shiro’s side. Shiro jerked with the impact.

“Do you know how much of an honor this is? To be given great power in the palm of your hand and able to manipulate any deceased being? Do you!?” he leaned down to look at him.

Shiro held his side and hid his tears,looking the galra in the eyes difiantly, “Most people don't want their arm to be black. It's disgusting, and I can only bet you’re worse.” The Galra’s foot met his side again and he cried out. He was in so much pain, his whole body sore for some unknown reason.

“Most Galra would kill to be in your position. To be chosen. A new weapon for the Galra Empire.” Sendak moved away as Shiro sat up, teeth clenched together tightly.

“Yeah? Well I’m not Galra! I’m a human and part of the Altean Empire! I’m not you and I didn't ask to be in this disgusting Empire, much less a weapon used for it.” he moved to stand.

“Don't you yell at me, I could destroy you. Tear you apart in an instant. You’re lucky Zarkon didn't choose to kill you! Instead he bestowed you a gift. Power unimaginable. You’re ungrateful and selfish-”

“Sendak.” A familiar voice yelled. Glaring yellow eyes stared at them. “You two need to behave.” This wasn’t a suggestion, it was a command.

“Training starts soon. You can release your energy there.” She walked out and Sendak pulled away.

“You’re lucky, Altean.” He walked across the room and the memory went black.

A new one formed.

“Shiro, use your arm to summon the spirits,” Haggar spat as Shiro was bombarded.

“I won’t! Stop it!” He screamed, forming a pulsing forcefield around him and let himself fall to the floor. He was so tired, he’d done so much. He wanted to go home and sleep in his bed. He wanted to see Thaxen and his mother again.

“Interesting Shiro.” Haggar hummed. “Agreed, training will be finished today.” She was obviously intrigued by what she had seen and decided to end on a good note.

Shiro was taken back to the room, where he went straight to bed.

This training continued for weeks until somehow Shiro escaped and made it out to his mother. He had no idea how it happened, but he was suddenly in his mother's arms again.

Allura pulled away and Shiro recoiled back into the chair with a groan. He covered his eyes to hide the tears while Keith put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

“Shiro, I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” Allura breathed in disbelief.

Shiro had Keith’s hand in a death grip. “It’s over now. I don’t want to talk about it. I think it’s time I rest for the night.” He slowly moved to stand up, but instead collapsed in the chair.

“Whoa Shiro, here let’s just go slow.” Keith helped him up slowly then looked at Lance, “can you help me get him to his room?”

Lance nodded and took Shiro under the arm before helping him to the door.

“We'll be back in a bit.” He looked to Allura, who was trying to process what had happened, but obviously looked like she was having a hard time.

They were walking down one of the longer hallways to Shiro's room when he finally spoke “Thanks, you two. Sorry if you heard anything while I was-”

“Shiro, there’s no need to apologize. You just can't control certain things. Especially your past. I may not know what it is exactly yet, but I  hope that one day, maybe, I'll be trusted enough to find out.” Lance smiled a bit while looking at Shiro, “it’s not like it's a trouble holding you either. You may be ripped, but Keith and I are holding up just fine.”

Shiro and Keith chuckled and the mood between them lightened a bit. Shiro no longer had a somber expression, but now one of fatigue. Whatever Allura had made him see seemed to take a toll on Shiro’s body all together.

“Here we are.” Keith snapped Lance out of his thoughts fast enough so that he could help maneuver Shiro through the door and into bed. The room around him looked the same as his own. They all slept in the castle due to Shiro being a conflict of interest to most of the council.

“Thanks for helping. I really appreciate it.” he breathed while getting comfortable. He fell asleep almost in an instant and Lance sat down.

“How bad was Shiro’s childhood?” he looked up at Keith almost pleading for some type of explanation.

Keith sighed and sat across from him on the other side of the bed.

“Most of it was quite domestic. I can't tell you the details, it’s not my story to tell, but Shiro went through a lot at the Galra Empires hands. And yet he still believes the good in everyone.” Keith moved to rub Shiro's shoulder comfortingly.

Lance nodded in response.

“You two must be really close. You even joined the Court together.” Lance murmured while watching the slow rise and fall of Shiro's chest.

Keith nodded, “When I was about 16, he and his mother moved to my village. I was living alone and his mother invited me into their home. I didn't really have anyone to share dinner with or talk too. They made sure I felt welcomed. I've known them for three years now.” he looked at Lance and smiled a bit.

Lance shifted a bit making himself comfortable “Sounds like you two bonded a lot in that time.” he teased.

Keith shrugged “I mean when you live with someone for almost two years, you learn a lot about them. When Shiro came to my village he was 18, so it wasn't too hard to find interests that we shared. We usually went hunting, but when we were deep enough in the forest we would practice our magic. We learned a lot about combining our powers and learning to work with each other.”

There was  long pause between them before Keith spoke again.

“I think that’s why Shiro’s nervous. I can't blame him, I am too. We've been working together for months already, but solo missions are usually for groups who've been working together for years. And when Allura mentioned Sendak now being a commander, I think it made us both even more so than we already are.”

“I can understand that. In all honesty I’m nervous as well. I didn't think we’d be sent out so quickly. I guess there's no better way to fight Galra necromages then with our own necromage.” Lance mused, “I mean it feels unfair, but they’re right. Other groups will be following, but we'll be leaving months ahead of them clearing the way I guess. It feels like a suicide mission retrieving the stone and hopefully defeating Zarkon, but even if we do that what happens after.”

Lance felt his throat tighten up at the thought. It was overwhelming. They were all young and in their 20s while mages in their 30s or 40s did work like this.

“Shiro thinks the council wants to send us on a harder mission to get rid of him. It’s not hard to see why. It’s certainly not Allura’s fault though. It was the only way she could put us in a group really. We’ve known from the day we were grouped together that we were training for one specific purpose. Now it’s finally drawing nearer.”

Lance bit his lip.

“Yeah… It really is. Is that why Allura had Shiro tell us about his hand? So we wouldn't find out from Sendak if we met him.”

Keith nodded and swallowed nervously “I-If you think it was because Shiro didn't trust you guys that’s completely wrong… He just wanted you guys to like him. Shiro thinks he’s a monster because of the things he can do. Usually he’ll look at his arm for hours and you can tell just by looking at him what he’s thinking about. He didn't want you guys to know because he was afraid you wouldn't want to be near him anymore.”

Lance looked to the side, he couldn't deny what Keith was saying. He knew there would have been an even bigger strain on the group's growing relationship if he had told them that he had the same powers as a Galra commander right when they met.

“I hope he doesn’t think that now. I mean, we're a group so there's nothing that could really change our opinion on him so far. Especially something like that, it's not his fault.”

Keith looked as though he’d relaxed a bit at Lance's words.

“I don't think he thinks that anymore. I mean he told all of you. I think he was just waiting for the right moment and Allura really pushed him, which was ultimately a good decision. Getting something like that off your chest though really takes a toll on you.”

“Yeah, I can only imagine… Hey Keith, while we’re spilling all truths. Can I ask what your tattoo means?” he pointed to his shoulder where a small amount of pink skin peeked out from under his shirt. Lance had always wondered what the tattoo was and meant, but never felt comfortable enough to ask.

Keith rolled up his sleeve to reveal a phoenix rising out of a fire.

“It’s not really a tattoo per say. My village calls it scarification, you earn it sort of. I never really thought I had anything going for me… That I would live in that village forever, but when I told them I was going to join the Court of Stars with Shiro they decided I was worthy of one. They said I was like a Phoenix rising from the ash of my fallen ones. That’s how I got it. You can feel it later if you want.” He offered Lance a shy smile then pointed to the flask on his hip.

“Since I told you about my scar, is it ok if I ask about your flask?” he knew that hydromages flasks meant a great deal to them. Each shell signified something that had changed their lives.

Lance bit his lip, took the flask off his belt, and held it in his hands. The water within shimmered as he shook it a bit.

“Yeah.” he blushed and pointed to a big shell fragment that seemed to have broken. It was only the bottom part and was a dark brown and light tan color.

“This one I put on when my grandfather died. It was broken so I thought it would work best because it fit around the white one. That one was given to me when I was born. The first shell to go on your flask is always from your parents.”

Lance  smiled, “It's usually simple, but mine has small highlights of purple.”

He pointed to the orange striped shell, “This was the first shell I found when I went to the beach. As soon as I could walk they took me to find one and this is what I got. The three small ones are when my siblings were born and the spiral on the top is when I got invited into the Court of Stars. This one is when I met you and Shiro.”

He blushed a bit pointing to a white and brown shell.

“Meeting you two and finally knowing I had a whole group,  I went straight to the beach after our first day of training.” He bit his lip rubbing his fingers along the shells to sooth his nerves.

Keith blushed.

“You were really that excited? I feel honored.” he smiled hoping his words helped Lance calm down a bit, “I'm sure if Shiro knew he’d probably be extremely happy.”

Lance chuckled nervously.

“I’ll have to tell him when he wakes up… We should probably head back to the others. Allura is probably talking more about what’s going to happen when we set out.”

He stood up and blushed as he walked over to Keith and helped him stand.

“Yeah, we’ll have to check on Shiro later.”

Keith slowly closed the door and he and Lance walked back to where Allura was explaining something to Pidge and Hunk.

The attention turned to them as they entered the room.

“Ahh Keith and Lance, how is Shiro?”

“Shiro's sleeping.. After all that, he was exhausted and was out as soon as he hit the pillow.” Lance sat down next to Hunk and Keith joined them.

Allura nodded “As expected. After experiencing something like that, I feel a bit tired myself. It seems like instead of talking about strategy like I planned, I strained my schedule too much. We cannot continue with strategy making and planning until Shiro is back.” She sighed softly

“We shall continue at sunrise tomorrow, please follow Shiro’s example and get some much needed rest. Your mission starts in another month and we have no time to waste.” She stood up and walked out of the room towards the opposite wing of the castle.

Hunk stood up as well with a yawn.“I think I'm going to hit the hay too. It’s not late, but if we have to be up by sunrise tomorrow, might as well get a good night's rest.” he smiled as he walked towards his room.

Pidge followed with a sigh, “Night guys. I’ll be with Coran if you need me.” and she made her way out. Pidge had recently taken up potion making with him and was learning in her free time.

“Whelp, we might as well go and check on Shiro again.” Lance chuckled softly and stood up waiting for Keith near the door.

Keith shrugged “I'm sure he’s fine, but it won't hurt to see if he’s ok.” he walked alongside Lance silently. They had talked about so much earlier, but now he barely knew what to say. He wanted to ask more about Lance’s flask. Hed never met a Hydro-mage before Lance so he had a list of questions for him.

Keith cleared his throat.

“Um, so uh, earlier I asked you about your flask. Is it ok If I ask you a couple more questions?”

Lance smiled. “Yeah, I don't mind. I get to ask you other questions later though.”

“Fine, just only if I agree to them. But i'll answer a few. My first is, I heard other mages can add to a Hydromages flask. Is it true?”

Lance immediately nodded. “Yeah, that’s true. It’s mostly in special cases though. After Hunk, Pidge, and I had been working together for a while, I let them decide what they wanted to put on my flask. Pidge put these flowers and Hunk pressed the stones into the center of them. It shows a great bond when a Hydromage lets you do something like that.”

“I was, um, actually considering asking you and Shiro in a while. Maybe sooner than later since we’re going to leave soon. I want it to be thought out and not rushed when we're going to be constantly be moving.” he looked over to see Keith blushing a bright red.

“Are you sure? I mean, this is really a really special honor. We didn't even get along that well until two months ago, really. Before that, training was horrible,” Keith made eye contact with him and bit his lip, “Are you absolutely sure?”

Lance nodded enthusiastically “Keith, I'm going to be spending months, maybe even a year, with you two out in the forest on our way to the center of the Galra kingdom. What makes you think that I wouldn't want you guys to make a mark on my flask? The fact that a pyro mage and a hydro mage didn't get along cause of conflicting bias’ come on Keith. You know better than that” he rolled his eyes.

Keith chuckled “Fine, fine. We’ll wait till Shiro’s up then figure out what we want to do.” he opened the door to find Shiro in a cold sweat.

“He’s having a nightmare isn't he?” Lance breathed softly as he walked into the room quickly.

“Yeah, sometimes his arm draws evil spirits to him. They get into his head and make him have nightmares. He’s too weak to protect himself in his sleep.” Keith moved to hold Shiro’s hand, before asking, “Lance do you know any water boundary spells? Can you cast one please?”

Lance was caught off guard by the request, but nodded anyway.

“Y-yeah of course!” Lance took a deep breath and focused his powers before creating a lovely blue dome around the bed and a small area of the room.

Shiro seemed to relax a bit and Keith smiled.

“Thank you. I'll make one too.” Keith breathed and created a soft red dome as well, creating a beautiful lavender color as they combined.

Lance grinned “I’ve never actually made a double boundary before. Luckily we have complimentary colors.” he said softly.

“When Shiro and I would make them they would swirl instead of mix, but this is really pretty,” Keith hummed thoughtfully, “Thank you for helping. With both us us here, he’ll be able to sleep tonight.”

Lance blushed and his mouth gaped slightly.

“You mean I have to stay?”

He wasn't opposed to the idea, but he really didn't want to sleep on a cold stone floor.

Keith looked slightly amused.

“To keep a boundary, you have to be within its space. You should know this Lance.” Keith snickered and rose an eyebrow expectantly.

Lance huffed, “I know, I just wasn't sure about a double boundary. Where am I going to sleep? The floor?”

Keith deadpanned, “Lance don't be stupid. This bed may be small, but we could all still fit on it.”

Lance's face bloomed with a light pink color. “You mean sleep together? I mean are you sure? I don't - I mean- Wont that be annoying?”

Keith shrugged.

“I'm sure Shiro’s dreams would be more annoying. This barrier is strong, and I promise, you won't be a bother to Shiro or me.”

Lance sighed dejectedly, but Keith was right. Shiro was weak at the moment and needed the barrier.

“Ok, ok. How’re we going to do this?” He looked at the small bed. It was only a bit bigger than a twin.

Keith moved to lay half on Shiro and half on the bed.

“Just like this. Now hurry up. We have to be up at sunrise.” He yawned softly and laid his head against Shiro’s chest, letting his heartbeat slowly lull him to sleep.

Lance nodded moving cautiously to the bed with a muttered, “Fine, fine.”

He ganced at Shiro’s face and slowly laid the same way that Keith was on the other side of Shiro. He had to admit, it was warm. He felt a lot better than when he slept alone. Soon, just as Keith had, he let the steady heartbeat of Shiro’s heart lull him to sleep in the pale lavender light that surrounded them.

[Picture 1](http://redxyami.tumblr.com/post/164031360028/art-for-uncharted-territory-a-great-fantasy-au)

\----

 

Lance woke up to the bleary light of dawn creeping up over the horizon. They only had a small amount of time before they were going to meet Allura. He looked over at Shiro and Keith and blushed softly.

He looked up around them and noticed the lavender barrier around them and bit his lip. He hadn't slept this well in a while. Sleeping with others was something he hadn't done since he was a child, but with Keith and Shiro it felt better. He shook his head and cleared his mind for a second before slowly rubbing Shiro's shoulder.

“Shiro… Keith wake up. We gotta get ready to see Allura.” he whispered as to not startle them awake.

Shiro was the first to rise and blushed when he realized both Keith and Lance had slept with him.

“Oh… Good Morning.” he looked up to see the barrier and smiled.

“Thank you Lance… For helping.” he looked over at him fondly then stirred Keith.

“Keith, wake up.” he then grinned playfully and shoved him half off the bed while holding his arms.

Keith jolted awake.

“Huh wha?” he looked at Shiro blearily before his expression morphed into a glare. Keith was not a morning person, you could tell by the way he looked at Shiro. He liked being woken up slowly with time so this was not entirely appreciated.

“Why’d you have to wake me up like that.” he shoved Shiro, who in turn shoved Lance.

Lance yelped loudly with surprise and held onto Shiro tightly, making them both topple off the bed. Shiro hovered over Lance awkwardly, having caught himself before their foreheads would have bumped.

Lance had closed his eyes on the tumble down, and rubbed his head before starting to talk.

“Keith you shoved too hard I-” he opened his eyes to see Shiro looking down at him and blushed. “I-I-I umm.” he looked from Shiro’s eyes to his lips then back up again slowly.

“Shiro I want you and Keith to add to my flask.” he blurted out suddenly and covered his mouth.

Shiro’s face bloomed a bright red and he looked up to find Keith smirking smugly at him. Shiro had decided in that moment that Keith was the worse and the next time they were alone he was going to make him regret it. Right now though, Shiro couldn't believe that Lance actually was allowing him the honor or adding a mark to his flask.

“Oh, um, I’d be honoured too. Um, Keith, do you want to do the glass thing we did on my mom's cup?” he bit his lip. The idea immediately popped into his head, he thought it was perfect for Lance’s flask as well. It would look beautiful with the blue as the background.

Keith looked thoughtful for a moment before asking, “Do you want to do a peacock feather?”

Lance looked up and then back to Shiro and blushed harder.

“I, um.” he looked at Shiro.

Shiro looked down at him then suddenly scrambled to stand and help Lance up.  
“Sorry about that,” he blurted, “I was excited about the flask.” Lance smiled and took Shiro’s hand to help haul himself up.

“So, a peacock feather?” he looked at his flask and bit his lip, “I think that’d look really pretty.”

Shiro smiled. “Yeah. Keith melts the glass and using the call of some spirits they bring me rare materials I can mix into the glass after crushing them.” he smiled softly.

Lance’s eyes widened in awe.

“Wow, that sounds incredible. I, um, can't wait to see it.”

He looked at his flask then to Shiro's. “Did you and Keith add the spiderweb on yours?” he asked.

Shiro and Keith nodded simultaneously.

“After getting some books on Necromages, I found out that they customize their flasks like Hydromages. I started thinking about what i wanted and Keith suggested a spiderweb. It fit really well.” he smiled fondly at Keith.

“Yeah, he couldn't decide. I think the spiderweb was a good idea it-”

Keith was suddenly cut off by a knock on the door which swung open not two seconds later.

“Paladins. You’re late.” Allura stood tapping her foot with Hunk and Pidge behind her. It was a twist for Shiro and Keith because usually it was Pidge and Lance who were late.

Shiro looked sheepish. “Sorry princess we were on our way.”

\--

The meeting was long and the paladins talked about every comprehensible outcome of the situation they would face, good and bad. It was hard to talk about the uncertainty of the mission and the possibility that someone could die, but it was necessary. They needed to remember the risks involved and the fact that things were not guaranteed.

That evening Shiro, Lance, and Keith sat together in Shiro's room figuring out what design to put on the flask. Usually they would do something like this in one of the crafting rooms, but it was late and none of them wanted to make the walk there. Even though it wasn't too long. Shiro and Keith were sitting on the stone floor while Lance watched them from the bed.

“So.. What prompted you two to do this for your mother's cups anyway Shiro?” Lance asked and he wrote down something on a piece of paper. He was curious to see how the design he was making would turn out on his flask.

Shiro smiled fondly at the memory, “It was a present for her birthday. It was a year or so after Keith had been staying with us too and he wanted to pitch in. We thought it’d be sweet.”

Keith nodded, “I wanted to do something since she’d been so sweet, but when I asked her what I could get her, she wouldn't even let me think of getting her something. So I decided to go to Shiro and it was a kind of out of the box idea that just so happened to work.”

Lance hummed. “That sounds cute.”

He watched as Shiro closed his eyes for a couple moments. When he opened them he smiled brightly.

“After that, I learned that the spirits of animals always make strong allies as well. What you do for them, they do for you,” he explained,  “Keith had a murder of crows who he'd grown close too. When we met they ended up treating me as they did Keith. After death they decided to continue helping as well. They're not exactly physical beings so they cannot gather things, but they are more in tune to the earth and can show those who are alive where things are.”

There was a sudden caw from the window and a crow flew in landing on Keith's shoulder as if waiting for an excuse to stay. “Hey there.” he whispered happily and held out his hand. He lifted the other to his beak and rubbed it fondly. The crow dropped a white stone along with some others then flew off, but not before landing on Shiro’s shoulder briefly and nipping his hair.

Shiro smiled and pet the crows head, “It's not exactly my power, but it’s the closest thing too it right now that I can think of adding onto your flask.”

Lance nodded excitedly,“I think it’s perfect. I can't wait to see it done.”

Shiro grinned at him.

“I think you're going to like it.” he set the white stone aside and spoke to Keith.

He grabbed the glass and placed it in some type of order with the stones. Once they seemed to his liking, he grinded down the stones and Keith melted the glass. When it was melted down enough Shiro added the powders into the mixture creating beautiful colors.They worked directly with his flask making no mistakes surprisingly and slowly creating a beautiful feather with a white stone inlaid near the center of the beathered area.

Shiro smiled “It’s called moonstone. They say it it brings you closer to the moon. I know water mages have strong ties to it, so I thought it would help.” he smiled.

Lance blushed and nodded delightfully.

“Thank you. I love moonstone.” It was his favorite stone. There are lots of meanings behind the stone and Lance only found himself blushing more while thinking about them.

[Picture2](http://redxyami.tumblr.com/post/164031360028/art-for-uncharted-territory-a-great-fantasy-au)

“It's beautiful.” he breathed, holding the flask in his hands inspecting it. “I love it. Thank you.” he smiled

Keith shrugged, “It's no problem Lance. It was an honor to be asked”

He then stretched, and said with a yawn, “I think we should sleep now. We have more training tomorrow.”

\--

The meeting sobered them up for the next month. Bonds grew closer and it was nearly two days until they left. Allura had given them all very rare items to prepare. One of them being a small bag with a pocket dimension inside. They were stocked with potions, but were also meant to hold the paladins belongings; clothes, pictures, letters, treasured items.

It was hard for most of them, especially lance, to pack lightly, but eventually they did and it was the night before they left. Shiro, Lance and Keith were laying in a slightly bigger bed since now sleeping together had become habit of theirs. Every night the soft lavender glow seemed to keep Shiro safe from the demons who liked to plague his dreams, literally and figuratively.

“I don't think I can sleep.” Lance whispered staring up at the ceiling through the lavender boundary.

Shiro and Keith both shifted to look at him.

“What’s wrong?” Shiro ran a hand through his hair which made Lance sigh a bit.

“I’m nervous one of us is going to get hurt. I know it’s a possibility and we’ve talked about it, but it still makes me nervous. Losing any of you.. The thought just makes me.” he stopped mid sentence and bit his lip.

Shiro moved closer to Lance and enveloped him in his arms..

“We can't promise we'll be ok, but I can tell you we’ll try to keep ourselves safe. We’ll keep you safe as well, Lance.” Shiro looked over at Keith who crawled  to the other side of Lance and smiled.

“You should be in the middle tonight.” he hummed.

Lance blushed deeply. “Guys,” he bit his lip looking at them “Shiro’s supposed to be in the middle.” he breathed.

Shiro chuckled, “I think it’s your turn.” He cuddled close and sighed contently. “It's actually nice to be on the outside for once.”

Lance breathed in shakily, “Hey um, before we go I wanna get something off my chest.” he looked at both Keith and Shiro who looked at him with their full attention.

“I wanted to tell you guys how deeply I care about you. I mean we’ve been sleeping together for about a month now, but even friends can do that. Yeah,um, I just, care about you two.. More than friends is what I’m trying to say. It’s probably not the optimal time to say this, y'know since were going on a potentially deadly mission. I just couldn't leave here without saying it.”

Shiro smiled and gently kissed his head “I think it’s good we talk about it before we leave.” he breathed while watching Keith nod in agreement.

“Maybe after all this is over we can actually do the whole relationship thing. Run all the lines and dates.” Lance suggested softly .

“We can't deny our feelings. The only thing that leads too is feeling worse than we should about the situation.” Keith bit his lip

Shiro nodded. “I think the best thing we could do, is admit we do have feelings for each other. I think it's the best way, but we also need to know that while we're out there, there won't really be time to think about normal things.” he moved closer to Lance.

Lance nodded “I think we could do it though… Who knows. Maybe it'll make it easier.” he bit his lip trying to be optimistic.

“I'm sure it'll make us more protective, then again were all very protective of each other.”

Shiro chuckled “We really are. I'm sure it'll all work out at some time.” he hummed softly “We should sleep.” he said softly, smiling when he heard Lance hum.

“Mmm goodnight.” he smiled and cuddled closer to Keith and Shiro.

“Goodnight.” Keith moved to kiss his chin before moving closer and slowly falling asleep.

They ended up leaving the next night surrounded by darkness and guided only by the light of a stone Keith and Allura had enchanted together.

The dark did nothing to ease their nerves and the only one who seemed comfortable was Shiro.

“How are you not creeped out by the darkness Shiro?” Lance whispered making sure to keep close to him and Keith.

Shiro shrugged. “You learn to accept it after a while. It's not as scary when your eyes adjust anyway.” He looked up at the sky “The moon is out tonight too, Lance. Can you feel it?” Shiro asked him and smiled.

Lance bit his lip as they walked through the dark woods making their way further from the castle and to the Galra and Altean empire. “Yeah. It's almost a full moon too. Can you feel it too Shiro?”

Shiro nodded “Things become more active during a full moon. The energy it provides makes spirits more active. I'm sure Pidge feels it too.”

Pidge perked up at the sound of her name “Hmm? Yeah. It’s a bit weird. On the full moon it's almost as if things are in a daze compared to the daytime.” she looked around curiously.

Hunk rose an eyebrow “You guys can feel the moon?” he looked up through the trees curiously trying to find it.

Lance shrugged, “I mean kind of. It's more of the effect it has on the elements around it. Like how it affects the tides, or for Shiro, the spirits, and for Pidge, the plants and animals”

Hunk nodded. “Seems nice. Keith do you feel that with the sun?”

“Only when the sun is closest to us which is like once a year.” he hummed.

“If anything my magic feels more dormant during a full moon.” he said, looking at the stone in his hands.

“Hunk do you ever get strong feeling around anything, being a Geomage and all?”

Hunk thought about it. “I guess when I get close to quarries and such, y’know big amounts of unmined rock. Usually crystal because it absorbs energy from the surroundings.”

They all nodded and looked around.

“We’re going to set up camp before sunrise right?” Hunk asked looking at them.

“Well set up  before the sun rises and make sure it's underground. The Galra can't know were in their territory until we get close enough that it’s too late.” Keith breathed softly.

Pidge nodded “We can cover up the shelter with brush and vines to make it less suspicious.”

“Sounds like a plan. It'll be simple to make.” Shiro agreed as they continued on their way. Pidge was in front parting the foliage as they walked then closed up erasing any evidence of their presence as Lance followed last.

\--

As the first two weeks went by the group spent time looking out for the Galra as they crossed over the border into uncharted territory. It was a hard journey, but following the stars helped them along their way to the center of the empire. They were nowhere close yet, but their spirits never diminished and instead grew as they grew closer together. They knew sooner or later they would have to fight some forces, but none of them thought it would be this soon.

"Shiro, I could really use some help here!" Screamed Lance from across the way, Galra were surrounding him. His water magic could only go so far and there weren't many resources he could pull from at the moment.

"I could really really use some backup. I mean, I know you're busy doing your necro-mage stuff, and I have no clue how that works, but I really need help!" He blew a handful of ice shards at the Galra in front of him, then planted his feet firmly into the ground and blasted them with larger shards of ice.

"I'm trying Lance, I just have to ask a couple more spirits in the area." he yelled back and tried to converse with each spirit faster. He was going as fast as he could.

"Well I don't know, couldn't you maybe hurry up! I mean we're in a jam here, you don't have to have every corpse like you Shiro. This is- " Keith growled and blasted a group of Galra against a tree.

"Pidge!" he pointed to the tree and surrounded them with a small wall of fire until Pidge's attention was on him.

Pidge nodded and quickly wrapped up the Galra in a tight bind made of multiple vines found around the forested area.

"Quiet Keith! I'll get it, just hold on for a couple moments ok!" he took a deep breath digging his fingers into the dirt and concentrating harder at the task at hand. It wasn’t his fault some of the spirits took some convincing.

It wasn't like he was asking them on a peaceful walk in the park, no he was asking them to fully fight for him and his team, letting him control their corpses risking damage and complete obliteration.

Shiro was suddenly on his feet running to the center of the fight, he’d done it. They were ready. "Okay, go!" he yelled.

The others ran to Shiro, where he surrounded them in a ball of purple as corpses of the dead dragged themselves from the depths of the earth.

"Hunk, do your thing." he smiled, hopefully their technique would work this time. He could only quietly hope.

"Keith heat up the rock and Lance cool it. Pidge make sure the Galra keep away from them until they're finished." he kept his eyes on the events unfolding making sure everything went to planned. It was hard to keep focused, but Shiro had trained for this.

They all had and he needed to keep his mind on the task at hand, he had to do this. There was no choice. This was a life and death situation for all of them.

"Okay they're covered! Keith, melt it." Hunk took a breath making sure to fix up any of the corpses who were hit before they could be given a proper armor.

"Got it Hunk." he took a deep breath and setting each of the corpses on fire while making sure not to burn the bone to ash "Get ready Lance. 3, 2, 1." he let out a breath and watched as Lance extinguished the fire.

"Got it. I'll cool you down babe." Lance's smirk was infuriating during battle, but Keith couldn't help but smile and roll his eyes.

"Shut up and go."

When Lance finished Shiro let the veil fall and took a deep breath "Good job! Now keep fighting and I'll back you all up." he looked around as everyone resumed their attacks, now feeling refreshed.

Shiro took a breath before commanding, "Lance help Keith, Pidge come help me. Keep attacks from hitting them so their armor doesn't crumble while they're standing." he began moving all of the corpses at once trying to overwhelm the Galra.

The corpses attacked from every angle with the help of the others making it seem like the corpses had their own type of magic as well. Soon the Galra were scattering to get away and they were left a panting mess.

[Picture 3](http://redxyami.tumblr.com/post/164031360028/art-for-uncharted-territory-a-great-fantasy-au)

"Great job guys. We did a great job. Thank you all who participated as well. I am greatly in your debt." he bowed and smiled. He had learned to give a parting comment to all the spirits who had helped. It was respectful and helped him gain allies.

Without a word the corpses were suddenly gone in the earth and the others were left gaping at Shiro. When he turned around he shrugged letting a smirk cross his face. It was satisfying to see the others so impressed, especially Lance and Keith.

"Well Keith, thanks to me being nice to the corpses, we have gained new alliances with the undead. You should thank me, spirits are very good at reconnaissance work.” he smirked as he watched Keith roll his eyes.

“Well, anyway. Good work.” he bit his lip “Where to now? Get any tips from our new members?” Keith wanted to be smug, but he couldn't help but be proud of Shiro’s achievement.

Shiro nodded “They said that there is a village to the East. It’s a little off the route Allura gave us, but it isn't occupied by the Galra military or any Necromages.” This was a relief because it would give them access to some of the amenities they couldn't use if they wanted to keep undercover. With a town nearby it would cover it up.

Hunk looked towards the East. “Are we sure we want to go off route though? Allura said to stick to our plan? What if we go off course and cannot be retrieved if something goes wrong?”

Pidge rubbed her chin, “Hunk has a point, but it would be better to risk that then maybe walking into some Galra village that's occupied. We wouldn't make it out of there for sure. We already stirred up something today, we need to lay low or else they’ll catch on to our plan. The least amount of people know about us the better.”

Shiro nodded. They needed to make sure the Galra knew as little about them as possible. Their mysterious nature would leave them with an upper hand in battle.

“To the East then, we should rest there for the night then continue in the morning. Necromages might be using their spirits after hearing about the battle. Usually traveling at night is safer but not tonight.” They began to walk to the small town the spirits had informed Shiro about.

The walk to the town was tense with everyone on high alert. Nothing felt right as they continued on their way to town. The sun setting further along the horizon and by the time the last rays of light were disappearing they reached the town. They could tell now why the town was unoccupied. It was barely there. Ransacked and burned almost to the dirt by the Galra themselves.

**Author's Note:**

> Do not fret friends it doesnt end here. Come visit me on my tumblr which is the same name as I have on here. We casn yell together while I write. Im also working on the Shance BB so look foreward to that coming out too. Lave you all <3


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